pfz555
2012-01-20, 06:03 PM
I've been working out a fighter build for a campaign that my DM is planning to start soon-ish. I took a look through some handbooks on the class and they got me a pretty good ways but there are still some places that I'm not completely sure about things. In particular, fighters get a lot more feats than I'm used to having and I don't quite know how to make the best use of them.
There's a long backstory behind this character but put simply he's built as a semi-generic "dumb brute". I generally aimed to keep his STR as high as possible and his CON at an above-average level as well. Dexterity wound up being the primary dump stat because the -2 penalty that Goliaths get there makes investing in it sort of a waste of points. Charisma and Intelligence get dumped about equally next because fighters really don't get many skills anyways and Charisma's only use is Intimidate (I tried to keep it at 10 to avoid a penalty to Intimidate though). Wisdom gets a token investment to keep my Will Save up.
For the sake of argument, let's say if I can cite a source and the feat/item/whatever in question isn't ridiculously overpowered then I can use it. My DM's generally pretty reasonable so that's not too unlikely.
What I have so far is this:
Goliath character
Stats (before bonuses/penalties)
STR/DEX/CON/INT/WIS/CHA
32 PB: 18/8/16/8/12/10
28 PB: 18/8/14/8/12/10
24 PB: 18/8/14/8/10/8
Randomized Set: 16 14 13 14 4 12
16 STR, 14 CON, 14 INT, 13 WIS, 12 CHA, 4 DEX
Feats
1: Improved Bullrush
1 bonus: Power Attack
2 bonus: Dungeon Crasher
3: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Goliath Greathammer)
4 bonus: Resolute
6: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain)
6 bonus: Dungeon Crasher
Take 7 as a Barbarian
7 Racial Substitution: Mountain Rage 1/day
9 bonus: Shock Trooper
9: Animal Devotion
11 bonus: Brutal Strike
12: Rampaging Bullrush
13 bonus: Improved Sunder
15 bonus: Combat Brute
15: Cleave
Take 16-20 as a Barbarian
18: Extra Rage / Instantenous Rage / Intimidating Rage / Reckless Rage / Leap Attack
19 Racial Substitution: Fortification
A few notes on my decisions:
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Goliath Greathammer) is a bit of fluff but the weapon seems pretty legit. I'd probably be willing to drop it if there's some z0mgawesome feat I'm missing, I just don't know what else I would do other than maybe stick to a Heavy Mace, take Weapon Focus (HM) and eventually wind up with Three Mountains as a feat somewhere.
Barbarian Levels are taken someone arbitrarily. I could move some or all of the ones that I take at 16-20 to as early as level 10 if that would be beneficial (I want to get to Animal Devotion and Shock Trooper before I do that though).
Mountain Rage is an obvious substitution I think, I substituted Improved Uncanny Dodge for Fortification because as a Barbarian 6 it only takes a level 10+ rogue to get around IUD (a triviality at level 20), and being flanked usually won't matter because my AC won't be too awesome.
Some questions:
1. Is Monk worth a dip for free Combat Expertise and Improved Trip? XP Penalties might be an issue there but losing Fortification as a Barbarian probably wouldn't kill me.
2. The 18th level feat I haven't quite decided on yet. Are the listed options worthwhile or is there something better to take over them?
3. What items/enhancements do Fighters usually look for? I think Brutal Surge on my Mace/Greathammer makes sense and I probably need Ghost Touch as well but otherwise I don't really know what Weapon Enhancements are worth picking up. No clue what I would do for Armor Enhancements or other equipment.
There's a long backstory behind this character but put simply he's built as a semi-generic "dumb brute". I generally aimed to keep his STR as high as possible and his CON at an above-average level as well. Dexterity wound up being the primary dump stat because the -2 penalty that Goliaths get there makes investing in it sort of a waste of points. Charisma and Intelligence get dumped about equally next because fighters really don't get many skills anyways and Charisma's only use is Intimidate (I tried to keep it at 10 to avoid a penalty to Intimidate though). Wisdom gets a token investment to keep my Will Save up.
For the sake of argument, let's say if I can cite a source and the feat/item/whatever in question isn't ridiculously overpowered then I can use it. My DM's generally pretty reasonable so that's not too unlikely.
What I have so far is this:
Goliath character
Stats (before bonuses/penalties)
STR/DEX/CON/INT/WIS/CHA
32 PB: 18/8/16/8/12/10
28 PB: 18/8/14/8/12/10
24 PB: 18/8/14/8/10/8
Randomized Set: 16 14 13 14 4 12
16 STR, 14 CON, 14 INT, 13 WIS, 12 CHA, 4 DEX
Feats
1: Improved Bullrush
1 bonus: Power Attack
2 bonus: Dungeon Crasher
3: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Goliath Greathammer)
4 bonus: Resolute
6: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain)
6 bonus: Dungeon Crasher
Take 7 as a Barbarian
7 Racial Substitution: Mountain Rage 1/day
9 bonus: Shock Trooper
9: Animal Devotion
11 bonus: Brutal Strike
12: Rampaging Bullrush
13 bonus: Improved Sunder
15 bonus: Combat Brute
15: Cleave
Take 16-20 as a Barbarian
18: Extra Rage / Instantenous Rage / Intimidating Rage / Reckless Rage / Leap Attack
19 Racial Substitution: Fortification
A few notes on my decisions:
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Goliath Greathammer) is a bit of fluff but the weapon seems pretty legit. I'd probably be willing to drop it if there's some z0mgawesome feat I'm missing, I just don't know what else I would do other than maybe stick to a Heavy Mace, take Weapon Focus (HM) and eventually wind up with Three Mountains as a feat somewhere.
Barbarian Levels are taken someone arbitrarily. I could move some or all of the ones that I take at 16-20 to as early as level 10 if that would be beneficial (I want to get to Animal Devotion and Shock Trooper before I do that though).
Mountain Rage is an obvious substitution I think, I substituted Improved Uncanny Dodge for Fortification because as a Barbarian 6 it only takes a level 10+ rogue to get around IUD (a triviality at level 20), and being flanked usually won't matter because my AC won't be too awesome.
Some questions:
1. Is Monk worth a dip for free Combat Expertise and Improved Trip? XP Penalties might be an issue there but losing Fortification as a Barbarian probably wouldn't kill me.
2. The 18th level feat I haven't quite decided on yet. Are the listed options worthwhile or is there something better to take over them?
3. What items/enhancements do Fighters usually look for? I think Brutal Surge on my Mace/Greathammer makes sense and I probably need Ghost Touch as well but otherwise I don't really know what Weapon Enhancements are worth picking up. No clue what I would do for Armor Enhancements or other equipment.